


The Enemy Within

by GoodyearTheShippyCat



Category: Starfighter (Comic), Starfighter Eclipse
Genre: Abuse of Authority, Aftercare, Alien Biology, Alien Culture, Alien Sex, Alien Technology, Aliens, Altered Mental States, BDSM, Body Horror, Body Modification, Coercion, Colterons, Come Eating, Dom/sub, Espionage, Graphic Description, Injury, Isolation, Kinky Bug Sex, Languages, Light Angst, Military Science Fiction, Mind Manipulation, Mind/Mood Altering Substances, Multi, Non-Consensual, Orders, Pheromones, Post-Coital, Post-Coital Cuddling, Restraints, Seductive Clicking, Sexual Assault, Sexual Violence, Spies & Secret Agents, Strategy & Tactics, Surgery, Violence, Xenophilia, headcanons galore
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2019-07-04
Packaged: 2020-06-09 17:53:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19480993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoodyearTheShippyCat/pseuds/GoodyearTheShippyCat
Summary: Helios, alone and scared on a Colteron warship, regrets accepting a special mission from Commander Hayden. He reflects on how he ended up there, and why he wants to get back.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For Day 5 of the Starfighter Summer Challenge I’m using the “Colterons and Anglers” theme. And specifically, the Colteron half of it. Because who doesn’t want some more kinky bug sex? Be warned, this is far less sweet and sexy than the previous time I wrote some Colteron action. _Heed the tags and warnings, folks._
> 
> NOTE THIS IS A WIP — I’ve only got the first two chapters (of six planned) finished in time for posting on the correct day of theme week. The others will be along once I’ve finished writing them, hopefully soon. So sadly, no actual Colterons appear _yet_ in the story, but I think it stops at a nice logical end point without a cliffhanger if you’re inclined to start reading now. 
> 
> For those who have read my previous Colteron-centric work, Seductive Clicking, this one goes in a bit of a different direction. It hews closer to what little we’ve seen of the Colterons in the comic (i.e. no third pair of limbs, wings, etc. – just a vaguely insect-like humanoid) and uses different headcanons from that ~~and other WIPs I’ve got which build on the headcanons explored previously~~.

Helios watched the angry red warning signs blink in front of his eyes. As if he needed a visual indicator to know his suit had been physically compromised.

The pain had receded enough that it could almost be ignored if he had anything else to focus on. Unfortunately he was stuck hiding in a ventilation shaft for at least another four hours, maybe double that. It was cold in the air tunnel, and there was nothing to look at apart from the dull metal surfaces. Hopefully his injuries weren’t too severe, and rescue would arrive in time.

Assuming, of course, that he wasn’t found by the Colterons, first.

He wondered, not for the first time—hell, not for the fifteenth time—how he managed to end up on a suicide mission like this. Cut off from other humans entirely, putting himself at the mercy of a hive of enemies who would destroy him without a second thought had they known he was among them.

***

“Good boy.”

If Helios’ brain were even a little more online, his toes probably would have curled with the warmth of the approval, spoken in Hayden’s softer voice. It still had the air of command about it, but was also full of amusement and pleasure. He’d only ever heard his Commanding Officer use that particular tone when they were alone together. When he’d performed well and Hayden would briefly dote on him before dismissing him for the day. 

As it was, he just let his head loll to the side. It rested on his shoulder, still pulled up next to his ear by where his wrists were bound together.

He could feel his fingertips tingling as the CO, already neat and tidy again with crisp white uniform pants on, loosened the restraints and freed his arms. Soft fingers rubbed each of his wrists in turn, briefly holding his own digits to check their temperature.

Helios let out a contented sigh. It felt nice.

The gentleness after their sessions always took him a little by surprise, even though it wasn’t mushy or excessive. Hayden was efficient about it, but not quite clinical; he clearly took pride in his ‘work’, and that included doing things properly. Like making sure Helios was unharmed in all but the most cosmetic of ways.

“You were very good today, Helios,” said Hayden, running a strong hand through his mop of disheveled hair and allowing him a moment to take in the praise before continuing, “I’ve got a new assignment for you. A mission I wouldn’t trust to anyone with less loyalty or enthusiasm for serving the Alliance.”

Helios could barely process what he was saying, still in too much of a haze, slumped over the Commander’s desk.

“You know me, sir,” he replied, words coming slower than normal “Always up for whatever your orders are.”

“Good. I was counting on that. Clean yourself—and the desk—up and I will run the basics by you. Tomorrow will be a proper briefing.”

Helios pushed himself upright on shaky arms, locking his elbows to help steady himself. Hayden had edged him mercilessly for well over an hour, and his body felt spent and boneless. Once his legs had remembered how to move properly, he walked over to the cabinet and opened the door which hid tissue and cleaning spray.

“Did I say to use those?”

Helios froze at the challenging tone.

“No, sir. You didn’t specify, sir.”

Hayden clucked his tongue. Helios could hear soft footsteps pad closer behind his back.

“I must have worked you too hard, today, if you’re forgetting the basics now.”

The words were swiftly followed by a hand grabbing his chin to push it up and back, exposing the length of his neck. Helios inhaled sharply, then relaxed into the hold. It was much easier if he didn’t fight it.

The Commander’s other hand laid itself along the back of his own, guiding it. Helios gasped as Hayden forced him to grip his flagging cock, sticky from the puddle of his own come he’d been lying in. Dragging his hand up it, the older man brought Helios’ palm to his mouth.

Helios obediently licked a clean streak through the mess before taking two of his fingers in his mouth, sucking them. They made a slick popping sound exiting his mouth as he moved on to do the others. Hayden let him go, and Helios finished the job, bringing his now clean hand down to wipe his stomach then repeating the motions.

Walking back to the desk, Hayden laid hands upon him again, pushing him down to the puddle on the smooth surface. Helios moaned as he licked up the bitter spot he’d left there—unable to do anything else, and unable to think of anything he’d rather be doing.

He could feel the only remaining mess, sticky between his thighs.

“And yours, sir?”

“You may use this,” Hayden said, handing him a soft cloth.

Helios had only just finished pulling up his black, military-issue briefs when the CO spoke again.

“Come here,” he said, not even really an order. He was leaning back in his desk chair which had been pushed aside for their earlier activities, still shirtless, feet planted on the floor. He emphasized the statement by patting his thigh.

Helios went over, and after a moment’s hesitation, sat on Hayden’s lap. The post-coital endorphins kept him from feeling much beneath his well-used ass, but he could tell there were already bruises on his cheeks from all the attention Hayden had paid them. A soothing hand came to rest on his lower back. He relaxed and leaned into the other man’s chest, enjoying this rare moment of extra indulgence. The warmth where their skin touched contrasted the cooler temperature of the room and made a shiver run up his spine.

“How would you feel about taking part in a rather risky operation?” the Commander’s deep voice reverberated between them, “An operation that, if successful, could gather more knowledge about Colteron military assets and strategies than anything we’ve ever managed to intercept and decode?”

“I mean, I guess I’d want to help with something so important,” said Helios, still a bit unfocused in the afterglow.

“Hmm, and if I told you that it would involve infiltrating the ranks of our enemies? Posing as one of them in order to gain access?”

Helios blinked, confused.

“… but, how?”

“Alliance scientists have been working for years on new biomechanical technology which would allow a soldier to be completely encased in an exoskeleton armor,” explained Hayden, “Integrated with it at a biological level via reversible surgical procedures. Indistinguishable from another Colteron to them—deep cover.”

“Really?”

“Yes. And I’m sure I don’t need to tell you just how classified this is.”

Helios turned the revelation over in his still slow-moving, happy-fuzzy mind.

“I understand, sir.”

“Excellent. I’ve recommended you because you’re one of my most trusted soldiers, and have quickly become a top performing team along with your Navigator.”

“Would Selene be involved, too?”

“No. Trying to insert two new ‘Colterons’ into an existing ship’s complement would be significantly more difficult. Much higher chance of detection.”

 _Well, at least I wouldn_ _’t be putting Selene in danger,_ thought Helios.

The hand on his back dropped away, and he felt the Commander straighten up more beneath him. Helios sat up, no longer leaning against the other man, but instead looking him straight in the eyes. 

“This is going to be a very critical reconnaissance mission, Helios. If you accept, I need to know you will be fully on board, start to finish,” said Hayden, his voice back to its usual firm, impersonal tone.

Helios squared his jaw and nodded.

“It will be difficult; physically, mentally, and emotionally. You will be alone amongst the enemy, trapped far from help and even basic human companionship, possibly for weeks or months. If you have any reservations, you need to bow out before we start.”

“When does the mission begin?”

“You still have a little time to make your final decision,” said Hayden, putting his hands on the arm rests of his chair, preparing to stand, “We’re due to rendezvous with the _Hubble_ at 0500 hours, tomorrow. Command staff have a final meeting and then later in the morning we brief whichever candidate is decided on.”

Helios’ mind raced as he got up and retrieved his clothing in silence. He could feel Hayden’s eyes on him as he dressed, and knelt to put on his boots. Straightening again, he met the older man’s gaze. It was inscrutable; the bit of warmth from earlier gone.

“You were my pick for a reason, Helios. Dismissed.”

Returning to his quarters that evening, Helios had more on his mind than he’d ever had following a session in the Commander’s office. He sighed with relief when he opened the door and found the room empty.

_Selene must still be in the lab._

He stripped down and took a long look at his naked body in the mirror. It was dotted with bruises, welts, hickeys, and friction burns in various stages of fading as they healed. Evidence of all the ways he’d given himself over to Hayden.

_I can_ _’t believe they want to turn me into a Colteron._

He shook his head, too overwhelmed, and entered the shower stall. Helios stood under the spray until he heard the door to the hall open again and Selene calling hello to him from their shared room.

Turning off the taps, he watched water drip from his hair onto the tile floor, uncertain how to broach the subject of his potential new assignment with his navigator. Confidential or not, it felt wrong to keep something this big from Selene. He listened to the man bustling around on the other side of the door to the head, and decided it could wait for tomorrow.

No point possibly upsetting his partner when he had barely any details. He might not even be the one selected for the mission, after all.


	2. Chapter 2

When Helios sat down in the conference room, he momentarily forgot his trepidation over being summoned there and had to swallow a hiss. His ass was still tender from yesterday, and he could feel the heat of the abraded skin there. When Hayden decided to lay into him with a cane, he didn’t mess around. Those marks would take a few days to start receding.

“Helios, as you can probably guess from being called here, you’ve been selected as our operative,” said Hayden from across the table. He gestured to the man sitting beside him, “This is Lieutenant Commander Spitzer, our liaison from the _Hubble_ and the one spearheading this mission. He’s a brilliant tactician and one of the most devoted members of the Alliance I’ve had the pleasure of serving with.”

Helios gave an informal salute to the serious-looking man with prematurely salt and pepper hair; flecks of white brought out by the uniform of the same shade, which also set off his warm brown skin and striking amber eyes.

“Sir.”

“At ease, soldier,” Spitzer waved him off as he activated the interactive presentation display, “Commander Hayden has already given you an idea of what this operation will entail, correct?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good, we’ll go into the details straight away, then,” he said, pulling up some 3-D models and zooming into the first one with a practiced flick of his fingers, “The HIvE Program has been focused on one goal since its inception—Human Integration via Exoskeleton. Research and development began after the Federated Alliance first retrieved an intact Colteron ship. Most people know about how that victory led to the formation of Mother. What was kept from the public for strategic reasons is that inside that ship, the pilot was still alive.”

The revelation was literally jaw-dropping.

_How did they manage to keep that secret?_ thought Helios as he closed his mouth, which had fallen slightly open.

“Unfortunately, it died in captivity, but not before Alliance scientists had managed to collect a massive amount of data. The autopsy provided even more.”

Helios’ shoulders tightened.

“Since then, they’ve been working to perfect new technology which could encase a person in an ultra realistic Colteron body and allow them to infiltrate enemy strongholds,” Spitzer rotated the model of what looked like a Colteron on the screen, then gestured in such a way that the pieces of it seemed to explode outward, exposing a generic, expressionless model of a male human within. Glowing lines showed what Helios assumed were points of connection between the suit and the representation of a soldier. “The mission for which you’ve been recruited will be our first practical use of this technology. If all goes according to plan, not only will you return with mass amounts of Colteron military intelligence, but you will have managed to do so without detection—or at least without them determining that it was a human rather than a traitor among their ranks. Then we can send operatives into additional targets, like bases or intelligence facilities.”

“This mission has the potential to change the course of the war, Helios,” Commander Hayden spoke up, “To bring it to a swift end. You would avenge all of your fellow Colonists impacted by the attack on the _Frontier_ and make Mars safe from future offensive action. You would go down in Alliance history as one of the heroes of the Colteron War.”

Helios let the unearned lauding go without much thought. What really caught his attention was the way the Lieutenant Commander of the _Hubble_ stared at Hayden, a frown twisting his handsome face and drawing his brows together. He wondered if Spitzer was just unimpressed with Hayden’s interruption, or if there was something more behind the look of disapproval.

“Ahem… moving on, a few more details about the exoskeleton suit. There’s a real-time translator installed, which will both relay meaning directly into your ear canals,” said Spitzer, pulling up a close-up schematic model, “and use subvocal recognition of English speech. The internal speaker system then emits the Colteron language equivalent of whatever has been subvocalized, so you will be able communicate while living among the enemy.”

“Sorry, uh, what’s subvocalized mean?” asked Helios, not wanting to sound stupid but also not wanting to misunderstand a critical detail.

“Silent speaking, to put it in simple terms. The technology can pick up on the words you mean to say without ever having to open your mouth and make the full sound.”

“Oh, okay. I don’t think I’ve ever tried to do that before.”

“Don’t worry, Helios. Effective immediately, your daily schedule will be changing,” said Hayden, his familiar tone of command soothing, “You’ll be working with Ethos to perfect your subvocalization technique each afternoon, instead of training with your navigator. After PT, your mornings from here on out will involve studying what little the Alliance knows about Colteron culture and social structure, with Lieutenant Commander Spitzer here.”

“What about Selene?”

“Your navigator?” asked Spitzer.

“Yes,” confirmed Hayden without taking his eyes off Helios, “Selene’s duties will be redirected to more decryption and analysis work in support of Central Command. It will actually be beneficial for his career prospects in the Alliance. I’ll be meeting with him to discuss the details tomorrow, although you are free to tell him about the mission tonight, if you wish. Provided you are clear that it is to be kept confidential for now.”

Helios felt torn. On the one hand, he was buoyed by the fact that Selene would be getting new opportunities that he might not otherwise have a chance at. But then again, he would miss working with him. They’d become such a good team over the past few months together, and even better friends.

“But… when I get back he’ll be my navigator again?”

“Yes yes, of course,” said Hayden, “Though if you’re successful, hopefully not for too much longer, because the war will be won.”

_Will we even see each other again after the war?_ Helios wondered, feeling his stomach clench. He put the thoughts aside. He had other things to focus on for now.

“Back on topic,” said Spitzer, shooting glances at Hayden as he spoke, though the content of his words were directed at Helios, “This will likely be a stress-increasing aspect of the operation. You’ll be essentially mute, in addition to being permanently encased in the exoskeleton technology until your extraction upon successful completion of the mission. Do you have any history of claustrophobia or anxiety in tight spaces?”

Helios thought back to some of the condemned buildings him and his sister Valentina had squatted in as street kids. Sleeping huddled beneath half-collapsed walls to get out of the wind. If anything, small spaces like inside the cockpit or VR sim rigs made him feel safe. He loved it when Commander Hayden pressed him bodily up against one of his office surfaces, trapping him there.

_Nope! Not the time to think about that!_ he ordered his uncooperative mind to stop that train of thought, surreptitiously crossing his legs under the table to disguise the excited response his body was already having.

Wearing a permanently attached full-body suit of armor might be a little different, but probably not enough to scare him. He could probably get used to it.

“No, sir.”

“Excellent,” replied Spitzer, switching to the next model and highlighting some of the parts, “The entire thing will be interfaced with your nervous system so you can feel and respond to physical cues as accurately as possible. It even translates chemical cues into responses your brain and body can understand despite the differing biology of our two species.” 

“But how exactly am I going to get put into Colteron society?” asked Helios, feeling like this was such an obvious question, but they hadn’t mentioned it yet.

“I’m glad you asked. We’ve been tracking the movements of a large battleship patrolling the borders of Colteron space. It seems to be in a holding pattern, repeating the same route—guarding against possible attack. It sends out scout ships at regular intervals, too,” said Spitzer, “Our plan is to put you in a retrieved and reconstructed Colteron fighter, sending out a distress signal on their frequencies. Your ship will be controlled remotely from the _Kepler_ , and there will be two Starfighters ‘giving chase’, shooting at you.”

“Really?”

“Missing, of course, but making it look real enough. The enemy scouts should transmit back to their own ship that they will engage and destroy the Alliance vessels and escort your damaged ship back,” continued Spitzer, “Then we jam their communications and obliterate them with another wave of Starfighters. We’ll activate the autopilot on your ship to take you the rest of the way. When you reach the main battleship, you tell them that their scouts managed to destroy both the Alliance vessels but ended up critically damaged and didn’t make it. The ship you’ll be riding has been modified cosmetically to be beyond recognition, as if it had been through quite a battle. Our engineers have programmed the black box to appear corrupted due to physical damage, and to only have some recoverable data. Just what we want them to see—bits and pieces of the ‘battle’ it was damaged in, but so degraded and full of artifacts that they won’t be able to tell it’s fake.”

“But won’t they ask me questions? Interrogate me about what happened if they don’t have records?” Helios asked, getting nervous just thinking about that first contact.

“All you have to do is relay the information we’ll brief you on later, and they should accept you into the fold,” said Spitzer, “We’ve determined a few possibilities for what ship or base you could conceivably be coming from, in this sector. Closer to the mission, likely the day of, the _Hubble_ will initiate offensive action against our predetermined Colteron vessel, destroying it so the story checks out. Along with the fact that your ship will appear to have travelled some distance and the Alliance fleet is not in pursuit, just the two Starfighters chasing you, this should keep the initial transmission by the enemy scouts from mobilizing any larger-scale response and jeopardizing the operation.”

“And then I’m in? No further issues?”

“Once you’re inside, you’ll have to find any way possible to gain access to one of the commanding officers’ computers,” said Hayden, shooting him a knowing look across the table, “This is where your likability comes in; you should be able to cozy up to one of them in no time. I have the utmost faith in you, Helios.”

Helios could feel his cheeks heat, and his eyes darted away from Hayden’s, embarrassed. They landed briefly on Lieutenant Commander Spitzer, who thankfully wasn’t looking back at him, but rather at the other officer in the room. That same expression of something like disapproval or frustration on his face, but far more personal-seeming than he would have expected from two officers who were just passing acquaintances brought together by the collaboration requirements of a mission of this scale.

_Maybe they were friends in the Command Training Program? Or went to the Navigational Academy at the same time?_

“Well, yes, I would hope so given that you nominated him as one of the candidates for this… where was I?” Spitzer turned back to him, “Ah, right, your objective once you’ve successfully integrated yourself into the ship’s crew…”

Helios did his best to focus on the remainder of the briefing, knowing every little part of it had the potential to be mission-altering—or even life-saving—once he was aboard the enemy vessel.

It was only much later that night when Helios finally realized what had repeatedly caught his attention about the way Lieutenant Commander Spitzer looked at Commander Hayden.

He’d been lying on the lower bunk, pretending to be asleep but unable to actually manage it. Instead, he was kept up by the heart-wrenching sound of his navigator trying to hide the fact that he was crying. Telling Selene about the mission had started off all nervous excitement. Around halfway through their brief conversation, Helios realized that the other man wasn’t taking the news as well as he’d hoped. By the time he’d finished, he could tell that Selene was trying very hard not to react the way he so clearly wanted to, fists clenched and jaw tight.

Of course, his attempt to cheer his navigator up didn’t go the way he’d meant it to, either. Explaining that Commander Hayden was going to give him all kinds of new and important analysis duties and that it was going to be a great experience just seemed to make him more furious. The last thing Selene had said to him before claiming he was tired, it was time to get ready for bed, and then slamming the door to the head echoed in his memory.

_Next time it would be nice if you consulted me before making decisions about what_ _’s good for my career!_

So, Helios stared up at the underside of the bunk above him. Wishing he could go back and re-do their conversation, or even the whole day.

That was when it struck him. The reason the look on the Lieutenant Commander’s face seemed so familiar was because it was one he’d seen before. One he sometimes caught on Selene’s face when he was talking to Abel or one of the other navigators. Suddenly, he wondered if Hayden and Spitzer had worked more closely in the past than they’d seen fit to mention.

He lay awake for a long time, mind running in anxious circles over whether or not he’d made the right decision. Hating that this was part of the outcome regardless.

The days following were a blur. In between his usual physical training regimen, vocal—or rather, subvocal—training with Ethos, and cramming knowledge about Colterons into his brain with Spitzer, Helios’ skull felt about ready to burst.

_Man, working new parts of your brain is exhausting. Worse than extra laps,_ he thought, _How do the navigators do it all the time?_

He also spent a not insignificant part of the time wondering why he was chosen as the field operative for this mission, rather than someone who had studied the Colteron language and was an expert in their ways. Even Ethos, patient and friendly throughout their mornings together, seemed like a better choice. He was already knowledgeable _and_ insatiably curious to know more about what Helios was learning each afternoon when they parted ways. He was clearly a bit jealous of the private lessons with Spitzer. And he was right there on the same ship! There was no reason they couldn’t have nominated him instead.

_I don_ _’t get it, why me?_

It was a thought that periodically haunted him. While lying in Hayden’s bed, watching the older man clean and put away all of the implements that he’d used earlier, he found it at the front of his mind again. It was the first time he’d been invited into Hayden’s living quarters; previously all their sessions had been in his office. Helios wasn’t quite sure what to make of that, either, but the Commander hadn’t dismissed him yet the way he usually did.

“Sir?”

Hayden looked up from where he was carefully winding a length of rope, cocking his head to one side inquisitively. Standing like that with his hair flopped down in front of his forehead he looked younger; less distant and untouchable.

“Uh, I was wondering something…”

The Commander set down the bundle of rope and came back over to the bed. Helios felt the slightly cushier mattress dip next to him as Hayden got onto it, lying on his side, propped up on one elbow. Even used to having the intensity of the CO’s full attention on him, Helios was a bit unnerved given the new surroundings.

“What is it?” the man’s tone intentionally blank.

“Why is the _Kepler_ is doing this mission, and not one of the bigger warships in the fleet?”

“Well, it was decided that an exploration vessel like ours is less threatening. Less likely to be remarked upon if travelling nearby. The Colterons will just assume we’re trying to gather data. Which, to be fair, we are,” he shrugged, wide shoulders catching Helios’ eye for a moment, “Both in the sense they expect and through your upcoming mission.”

“That… that’s the next question I had. Why didn’t they select some special agent for this? Someone who already knew about Colteron society and stuff?” asked Helios, “Not just some random fighter?”

Hayden looked at him for a moment, eyes slightly narrowed, before responding.

“Sometimes that additional knowledge or expectation can go wrong. It was decided that for this mission the most valuable qualities were good instincts and unwavering loyalty to the Alliance. You’ve already proved yourself in both respects, and your ability to react to changing situations is remarkable, as well.”

Helios felt the corners of his mouth twitch up at the Commander’s assessment of him.

“But why not someone like Ethos? He’s loyal, and clever, and already knows way more about this stuff that he’s teaching me.”

Hayden reached out a hand and ruffled it through Helios’ already messy hair, which was probably standing out in every direction given the way he’d been thrashing in his bonds earlier.

“Anyone ever tell you that you think too much for a fighter?” he said, a rare tone of amusement in his voice, “You weren’t just ‘randomly’ selected. You have lots of skills that a navigator like Ethos, no matter how qualified otherwise, just doesn’t possess.”

Helios felt Hayden’s arms start to pull him closer and went with them, laying his head on the Commander’s chest. It felt strange—out of the ordinary for them—but also nice. They remained there in comfortable silence for a few moments before Hayden spoke again.

“Besides, your personable manner and talent for… making yourself liked by most people will probably come in handy.”

_Did he basically just say I was chosen for my ability to seduce the enemy?_

Helios caught himself stiffening and fought the reflex, passing it off as rearranging himself into a more comfortable position.


End file.
